WASHINGTON -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's new television ad links Republican John McCain to President Bush and questions whether McCain is the political maverick he claims to be.

The Obama campaign released the spot on Wednesday. It shows McCain acknowledging that he agrees with Bush on most issues.

The ad also criticizes McCain on three economic issues of concern to middle-class voters: tax breaks for the wealthy, money for oil companies, and tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas. The ad ends with a smiling McCain and Bush side by side.

McCain's campaign turned out an ad Tuesday in the other direction, suggesting that McCain differs from Bush and the GOP on important issues -- without mentioning Bush by name.